


Sleeping World (A world of Color)

by lunaminyardd



Category: Why Don't We (Band)
Genre: Corbyn Besson - Freeform, Daniel Seavey - Freeform, Depression, Five Stages of Grief, Grief/Mourning, Healing, M/M, One Shot, dorbyn, why don't we - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-17
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-15 06:15:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28808718
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lunaminyardd/pseuds/lunaminyardd
Summary: ❝ in which corbyn helps daniel to accept the past. ❞i promise spring is coming, and with it, brand new leavestrigger warning:- side character death- grief / loss- detailed description of drowning- mention of a funeral
Relationships: Corbyn Besson/Daniel Seavey
Comments: 2
Kudos: 5





	Sleeping World (A world of Color)

☆  
P a r t I

: c h a o s ( denial / anger )

WITH WINTER'S BREATH on his skin, Daniel dropped down to the ground. The cold air had turned his fingers into a purple-blue color a little while ago, only because he was stupid enough to leave his gloves at home that morning. His hands felt numb, making it hard for him to twist the bottom layer of the rubik's cube he was trying to hold on to.

"The sunset looks pretty, don't you think?" Corbyn Besson's voice sounded through the trees. "They come in the most beautiful colors when it's Winter. Maybe it's the world's way of trying to make up for the cold." The boy held one of the lower hanging branches aside so that he could exit the forest path he had been following, walking over to where Daniel was sitting. "Perhaps," Daniel answered without looking up. Instead, he tried to focus on the red- the white- the blue in his hands. It was chaotic. Messy. And somehow, in a weird way, it felt comforting. It felt familiar. It was something he desperately wanted to hold on to. "But I see the world in gray."

Corbyn shot a glance in Daniel's direction and grimaced, using his feet to play with one of the pine cones that decorated the ground.

"Is that why you're so bad at solving a Rubik's cube?"

When Daniel didn't answer, Corbyn moved to sit down next to him. The youngest dared to look up, studying Corbyn's eyes as the other boy held his gaze focused on the sky. They were bewitching: They held a tint of brown, the softest kind. Close to the color of cinnamon and wood. They had a comforting and warm feeling to it. But most of all, they were the kind of green that reminded him of spring. The color of the leaves that embraced the trees as they danced. The kind of green that showed that Winter wasn't endless- and sunny days were on their way. A green that was mixed with the tiniest hue of the ocean's vigorous blue. They were beautiful. They held a sense of home.

"There are more colors out there other than blue, yellow, red, orange and.. whatever."

When Corbyn looked at him, Daniel quickly looked away. "Green and white," he corrected the blond. He stared at the messy cube in his hands, tossing it back and forth in an attempt to keep his hands busy. "Every other color reminds me of something I'd rather forget."

"What about the six colors we just mentioned?"

Daniel shrugged, dropping the cube in his lap. He wasn't Corbyn's friend. He'd seen him around in school a lot, but never really talked to him. He once lent him a pen, and Corbyn had helped him with a math problem before. Just some basic things, nothing too deep. But in a way, he loved having him around. Whenever he was close to him in the cafeteria or when they shared a table during one of their classes. Just his presence was enough to give Daniel a warm feeling inside. Whenever he found himself close to the other boy, he felt at ease. It gave him an uneasy feeling in his chest, because even though a friend was all he'd ever longed for; he knew deep down that it wasn't worth the pain. Not again. And so a part of him wanted to run away and pretend that this conversation had never happened.

But he didn't.

"Why are you here, Corbyn?" Corbyn shrugged, slightly taken aback by the question. "You looked like you could use some company," he said. "Actually, no, that was a lie." Daniel tilted his head in surprise, and suddenly the rubik's cube in his hand was no longer so important.

"I wanted to talk to you, I guess. You're around a lot, and I just can't help but find you interesting. You and your Rubik's cube. I want to get to know you. And I want to help you."

"What makes you think I need help?"

"I see it in the way you stare at that thing as if there's nothing else to look at. But that's okay. Let's make a bet."

"A bet?"

"If I solve that thing in less than two minutes, you let me take you to a place where it's impossible to see the world in black and white."

If daniel wasn't sure he would win, he would have said no. But that wasn't the case. He knew that the cube couldn't be solved. It was quite literally impossible, no matter how good you were at the game. And so he handed Corbyn the cube without a doubt, secretly already enjoying the fact that he just won a bet against the smartest kid he'd ever laid his eyes on. "And what if you lose?"

Corbyn snorted, shaking his head as he started twisting the layers just like Daniel had been doing only moments before. "I won't. But if I do, I'll leave you alone."

"You sound awfully confident. Don't get your hopes up, it's impossible to solve that thing."

Daniel fought back an amused smile as he watched Corbyn do the thing he loved to do the most: Show off. He laid his head on his knees and let out a quiet sigh. The way Corbyn dealt with the object quickly revealed that he had searched the internet for tips and tricks not too long ago. It probably wouldn't have taken him much time to get the hang of it, because he was still Corbyn Besson after all. "I've been practicing all night, can you tell?" Corbyn laughed, smiling when he gave the bottom layer one last twist. "See? Told you I was a pro."

Daniel's gaze shifted away from him as he started drawing circles on the forest's ground with his index finger. "Yeah, no, turn it around."

Corbyn frowned slightly and followed Daniel's instructions, revealing the almost white covered surface of the object. "It's blue," Corbyn pointed out. He stroked the lonely light blue square in the center of the cube with his thumb, looking at Daniel with a questioning look on his face. "Why is it blue?"

"Doesn't matter. You lost."

"Following the rules of the game and the ones of our bet, I did a pretty good job."

"Still, you didn't win. Told you it was impossible to solve it."

"Fine. I'll go."

The blond stood up straight in a smooth motion, wiping his hands clean on his jeans. "Sorry for wasting your time," he mumbled, grabbing his backpack from the ground before turning around. "Or no, wait, I'm sorry for wasting my time. I've been trying to be your friend, Daniel. But you keep treating me like I'm nothing. I know it's hard for you to connect with people, but I'm here. And I'm trying. I've been trying for a while. But I mean, I get it though. What else is there to live for other than that Rubik's cube."

Corbyn knew he sounded dramatic. Hell, he sounded like a toddler who didn't get his way, but in the moment, he didn't care. He'd spent several nights in a row trying to figure out how to solve one of those stupid cubes, trying to find ways to get Daniel to open up and make him believe that the world could be a beautiful place if only he would open his Goddamn eyes. And it was all for nothing.

"Wait."

"What?"

"I'll answer your question. The one about the colors."

Daniel's voice sounded soft and doubtful, and he nervously bit his nails. Corbyn turned around in silence, and all of the sudden, the feeling of guilt and shame washed over him. What the fuck am I doing?

"It's okay," Daniel said, noticing the look on Corbyn's face. "I lost a bet. And I don't want to waste any more of your time, so if you're still considering taking me to that place you were talking about, you should make sure I'm worth it."

It was more than enough to get Corbyn to sit down again. And it didn't matter how long he'd end up sitting there, for he knew Daniel was more than worth it.

☆  
P a r t II

: s y m m e t r y ( bargaining / depression )

"Blue reminds me of the ocean. I used to live by the coastline when I was younger. We actually moved here two years ago," Daniel started, clearing his throat before continuing. "My friend, his name was Toby, and I.. We used to go surfing every single morning when it was Summer. I remember how we got up before dawn every single morning and were the first people there. And then the sun rose. It was always a bright orange, with tints of gold. It was ethereal. The beach looked absolutely beautiful in the morning sun. Like a painting. Our parents always made us wait for the lifeguard to arrive to avoid any accidents. And when he was finally there, we spent the whole day in the water between the waves. By then we only understood the beauty of it all. Not the chaos, or the dangers. How stupid of us." Daniel shook his head in disbelief, as if it was his first time hearing the story.

"Toby's surfboard was a bright shade of green. I used to be so jealous of him. I had been saving up for a secondhand board for months, and the color had slightly faded. It was yellow, by the way. I ended up liking mine more, though. We had survived so many waves together," he continued.

By the way Daniel only talked about his friend in past tense, Corbyn could already tell where this story was about to go. But instead of speaking up, he kept listening. He listened as Daniel spoke, his voice trembling as his fingers started to twist the layers of his cube faster and faster, as if he could move the anxiety out of his body. But it didn't help. Not like it usually did.

"But then, one day, it went wrong. One moment the sky was a bright blue canvas, decorated with white clouds, and minutes later the air felt heavy and the wind had picked up. The waves kept growing, bigger and bigger. The sky went dark without warning.. And it rained. I was so disoriented, I couldn't find the shore. I didn't know which direction to go. My lungs were burning, screaming for oxygen. And then I blacked out. When I woke up, I was on the beach. And Toby wasn't there. I keep trying to convince myself that it were the waves that killed him. That they kept pulling him under until he was out of breath before they swallowed him whole. And there are moments when I blame the lifeguard for not doing his job. But in reality, it was me. It was my fault. I killed him. I should have stayed close to him. I should have seen how the lifeguard raised the red flag, and waved for everyone to come out of the water. I should have helped him. I should have saved him. But I didn't. I didn't."

His heart broke and, for once in his life, Corbyn Besson was at a loss for words. 

"This is not your fault," was all he could bring out. "Have you ever talked to anyone about what happened?"

Daniel shook his head. "There was no room for grief. There never is. Not in my family. We moved here two weeks after the funeral, leaving everything behind. My mother basically forced me to keep my grades up and pretend like nothing had happened. She sold my board, as if that would take all the memories away. When I think about what happened, I can still taste the salty water on my lips. Or see the way Toby looked at me when he got pulled under for the very last time. I remember everything. I don't need a board for that. But leaving the coastline made me feel like I let Toby down. And so I carry him with me everywhere I go, for he deserves to be remembered."

Corbyn's gaze wandered towards the cube in Daniel's hands. Although Daniel had twisted the layers a couple of times, the colors were still in the right place. He secretly wondered if Daniel even knew how to solve the cube. It wouldn't surprise him if the boy just started spinning without thinking about it, but at the same time, Daniel didn't turn out to be as predictable as Corbyn thought he was.

"Why a Rubik's cube?"

"Chaos is easier than Symmetry. But for some reason, sometimes everything seems clear. As if I understand. There's no fog in my brain. No misunderstanding. No false hopes. It's not blank, though. It's far from peaceful. It's full of 'what if's' and 'if only's'. But in a way, it's better than the chaos. Better than not understanding a thing. It's been a while since I've seen the cube like this. It makes me feel at ease."

"What about the beach? Does the beach still make you feel at ease?"

"I don't know. The ocean doesn't, that's for sure. But sometimes I long to go back to that place, although I don't think that will ever happen. I would do anything to see that soft, orange sky one more time. The sunrise. Just to remind myself that the ocean is still full of beautiful things. And maybe, just maybe, I sometimes have the feeling that Toby is waiting for me there."

"But he isn't."

"Yeah. He isn't."

☆  
P a r t III

: b a l a n c e ( acceptance )

"Where are you taking me?"

"You'll see. We're almost there."

It was five past five when they reached the edge of the forest. Daniel had dared to look up at the sky only minutes ago and like Corbyn had said, maybe it was the world's way of trying to make up for the cold. It was a soft orange color, but not quite the color of the sunrise the brown-haired boy was used to. It didn't remind him of summer, nor did it remind him of the beach. It reminded him of some kind of blanket, a safe space.

"Do you trust me?"

"I've been following you through the forest for fifteen minutes. It's slowly getting dark. If I didn't trust you we wouldn't be here right now."

"Great," Corbyn said, throwing his backpack over the fence that they had been walking next to for the past few minutes. "Because we're here."

The fence was a dark brown color, almost a part of the forest itself: Green moss covered several parts and just like the trees, the top was covered in the tiniest bit of snow. It was clear that it had been standing there for a number of years. And although it was high enough to hide what was behind it, it was clear that it was private property. "You're joking, right?" Daniel frowned, watching as Corbyn put both his hands on top of the fence, pulling himself up before guiding his feet over the cap board in one smooth motion. "You're not joking, of course you're not," he mumbled.

"You coming? It's getting late, I want to show you something."

Daniel blew his cheeks full of air, only to let out a deep sigh seconds later. He wasn't afraid of heights. He wasn't afraid of not being able to climb the at least six feet high fence. It was just the fear of 'not knowing'. Not knowing where he was climbing towards to, not knowing if it was safe between those fences. But before the hurricane of 'what if's' and 'if only's' could take over his mind once again, he started climbing. 

When his feet hit the ground, Corbyn grabbed his arm to steady him. "You good? Come on," Daniel nodded and followed Corbyn in silence, taking in his surroundings. 

In the distance stood a large house, but the owner didn't seem to be home. "This property belongs to my granddad, so there's no need to worry. He knows we're here."

They came to a halt near a small lake. Corbyn pulled up the sleeve of his jacket, checking the time before smiling lightly. "Five fourteen. We're right on time. Watch." 

Daniel's gaze went from Corbyn to the lake. He looked at the rocks, which were difficult to see through the dark. They were piled up in several layers, some of them in counterbalance as others balanced inline. Then, out of nowhere, his view was illuminated by several Christmas lights, which were placed in the trees above. Green, red, even purple. 

Soon, the rocks became more visible. Some of them were painted, combinations of colors that Daniel himself would never have chosen - but they were beautiful. A few of them wore whole drawings, from sunsets to waterfalls and from butterflies to woods. 

"Welcome to the world of color," Corbyn said, sitting down on one of the fallen tree trunks that had been placed around the lake. "I hope you'll enjoy your stay."

"Is this your work?" Daniel asked, looking at Corbyn in disbelief. The blond smiled, nodding towards his granddads house. "My grandpa bought the property twenty years ago. It used to be an open air museum. There were statues, even paintings during Summer, I believe. And there was a small lake. Part of the lake has been taken away, only this part is left of it. My grandmother didn't want to remove the rocks and stones because it reminded her of the coast. She used to live there too, just like you. When my grandmother passed away, my grandfather found peace in the stacking. It was a way out for him. It helped him to let go. To accept the past. And when my mother passed away, he taught me how to stack too, how to find the right balance. And I loved it. It created a kind of peace in my head that I had been longing for ever since I saw my mom for the last time. I thought the rocks were boring, though, so I decided to paint them. In my mom's favorite colors." Corbyn laughed at the last part, standing up before continuing. "So today, we're balancing rocks."

"I suck at balancing rocks."

"Have you even tried doing it?"

"No. I have shakey hands."

"So do I, as for right now."

"A nervous Corbyn Besson. Something I never thought I'd come across in this world."

"You have no idea." 

Corbyn pointed to the small brown box that stood a few feet away from Daniel. "Can you go get it? I'll lit the fire basket in the meantime." Daniel nodded, getting up from his place next to Corbyn. He reluctantly pulled his hands out of the pockets of his jacket and bent forward, effortlessly lifting the coffin off the ground. "It's not heavy." He pointed out. Corbyn turned around, shaking his head. "It's just paint. You can open it. Choose some rocks. Seven of them. Do whatever feels right."

...

Corbyn casted a quick glance in Daniel's direction before speaking up. "What about white?" It was a question that, if they weren't there: sat on the rocks next to each other in the air of the night, he wouldn't have dared to ask. He didn't know if Daniel wasn't aware that he had skipped the 'color' when he answered his question that afternoon or if there was a specific reason behind it, but if Daniel was ready to tell him, Corbyn was dying to listen.

Daniel didn't look up when Corbyn asked the question. He kept focusing on the rock in front of him, holding the paintbrush firmly in his hands while dipping it in the white paint once more.

"It's the emptiness. The fear. The color of his coffin. It's my denial. And the blue square in the center reminds me of the fact that this isn't a dream. And that Toby isn't coming back. He's still six feet under, he will never reach the coast again."

Daniel dropped the paintbrush on the ground and looked at the painted stones in front of him. And he started stacking. First green, then yellow. Then came the color of the sunrise, which he knew he would never look at in the same way as he did before. Then came red, and blue. Then white. And on top came all the colors in one. Balanced and symmetrical, illuminated by the lights and embraced by the warmth of the fire. As if it was supposed to be that way.

"And I accept that."

**Author's Note:**

> ( In the orginial work, that was posted on my wattpad, i added illustrations of the rubik's cube and the rock stacking, my wattpad is @atlastwo for if you're interested! the story is called Sleeping World )
> 
> First of all, Hi! Thank you for reading, it means a lot to me :). I've been a little stuck when it comes to writing lately, this is actually the first project I've finished in over a year, probably. I don't know if it's good- I don't know if it's bad, but for now it doesn't matter. ( update; it's terrible. and it does matter ) I'm just glad I wrote something. I'm still insecure tm tho and I'm pretty much a perfectionist so if you have any tips or anything else feel free to comment, I'd love to hear your thoughts. (:
> 
> And another thing; I hope this one shot wasn't too confusing (?) It was my plan to show you several stages of grief and loss. The rubik's cube and rocks were basically just a metaphor, if you get what I mean.


End file.
